Bottle stopper



R. H. HARMON BOTTLE STOPPER Dec. 10, 1929.

Filed June 29. 1927 fusil,

INVENTOR HH. Harmon ATTO RNEY Patented Dec. l0, 1929 UNITED'v STATESROBERT H. HARMON, OF .SAXTONS RIVER, VERMONT BOTTLE STOPPER Applicationled June 29,

rlhis invention relates to an improvement in bottle stoppers, it beingan object thereof to provide an improved closure for bottles soconstructed as to renderit impossible to refill a bottle equippedtherewith.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a stopper of theabove-mentioned character which is readily manipulated when it isdesired to discharge the contents of a in bottle.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a stopper whichmay be readily manufactured, simple in its assembly, and of few movingparts.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent duringthe course of thc following description.

In the accompanying drawings formingA a part of this specification andin which like 2o numerals are employed to designate like partsthroughout the same,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a bottle in which my improved stopper isembodied, the stopper being closed,

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section thereof,

Figure 3 is a sectional View of the bottle in the inverted position,thestopper having been opened thus permitting the discharge of thebottle contents,

Figure 4; is a cross section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2,

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the stopper operating means,

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the stopper body,

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the stopper retaining means, and

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the valve.

In the drawing, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown apreferred form of my invention, the numeral 1 designates generally abottle of any conventional form as used for liquors, having a relativelyshort neck 2. A stopper 3 constituting the main body, is preferablyformed of cork, and is provided with a bore 4 adapted to receive a tube5. The tube 5 is of such length as to extend beyond one end of the maincork body 5o a suitable distance. The lower portion of the 19277..serial No. 202,332.

tube is flared, as at 6, thus providing a stopper Y seat as presentlyappears.

The cork 3 is provided with slots 7 extending the full length of thecork, said slots tapering from one end of the cork inwardly t0- ward theopposite end. The uppermost part of the cork is provided with a reducedportion 3, thus forming a shoulder 9 (see Fig. 6). A retaining yoke,generally indicated by the numeral 10, has an opening 11 and downwardlyextending leg elements 12, the lower portions being bent outwardly t0form retaining tongues 13.

The yoke 10 is positioned upon the cork so that the tube 5 passesthrough the opening 11 and the leg elements resting within the slots 7The yoke is formed from resilient sheet metal so that when positionedwithin the neck of a bottle the leg elements l2 will be caused to springoutwardly away from the cork positioning the tongues 13 below the baseof the interior of the neck 2. Vith the parts in such position thestopper can not be removed.

A cap 14- in the form of an inverted cup is provided, said cup being ofsuch size as to provide a well 15, discharge apertures 16 being formedat suitable points. The lower portion of the cap is cylindrical and of adameter to be forcibly engaged around the reduced portion of the cork 3and being flush with the outer circumference 0f the stopper. Immediatelyabove the ldischarge well 15 there is a reduction 25 in which theforegoing discharge apertures 16 are located and which provides achamber in which a valve, presently alluded to, is operated as can beseen by a comparison of Figs. 2 and 3. A further reduction in theformation of the cap 14 provides a cylindrical tube 17. Y

This tube 17 is interiorly threaded as at 18. An operating cap 19 havinga threaded stud 2O is formed with a reduced integral operating stem 21of a length to extend entirely through the stopper 3. A closure valve 22is slidably arranged upon the stem 21 and is adapted to normally restupon the adjacent end of the tube 5 thus effectively closing said tubeto the ingress of liquidshould an attempt be made to refill a bottleequipped with the stopper. Y

Mounted upon the lower portion of the stem 21 is a decanting stopper 23adapted to bc drawn into engagement with the stopper seat 6 mentionedabove. When held in the position illustrated in Fig. 2, the tube 5 isclosed against the passage of liquor in either direction. A rigidlysecured washer 2 4 may be employed as a retaining means for thedecanting stopper.

It should be noted that the length of the stein between the decantingstopper 23 and the stud 2O is less than the distance from theV seats edposition of the decanting stopper to the threaded part of the tube 17,thus preventing displacement of the cap 14.

After a bottle has been filled withV liquor a stopper with its elementsin their closed positions is inserted within t-he neck 2 of the bottleand forced downwardly until the leg elements of the yoke 10 reach apoint where the tongues 13 engage the base of the neck. thus preventingwithdrawal of the stopper. It will be seen that with the stopper in itsclosed position, the closure cap valve 22 rests snugly upon the upperend of the tube 5 and the deeanting stopper snugly drawn upwardly intothe flared end of the tube 5.

Then it is desired to remove the contents ot the bottle, the operatingcap 19 is rotated causing engagement ot the threaded stud 2O with theinteriorly threaded tube 17, thus moving the stem 21 downwardly andsince the stem carries the decanting stopper 23, this stopper isconsequently caused to move downwardly away from its seat within thetube 5.

Thus upon inverting the bottle liquor will flow through the tube 5unseating the closure cap valve 22 and enter the well 15, and then seekegress through the various discharge openings 1G. To effect a closure ofthe stopper it is only necessary to place the bottle in an uprightposition, permitting the valve 22 to slide by gravity to its positionupon the tube 5. The operating cap is now rotated in a directionopposite tothat used when opening the stopper, causing ther stopper 23to be drawn into its seat within the tube.

The decanting stopper 23 is preferably termed of cork, although it maybe found practical to employ other materials of a re silient character,whereby an effective closure is made.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown anddescribed is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and thatvarious changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may beresorted to without departingv from the spirit of my invention or thescope of the appended claims. i

I claim:

l. A stopper of the character described comprising' a main stopperhaving a tube Y itted therein, a cap upon the main stopper',

said cap having discharge openings, the upper portion of said capterminating in an interiorly threaded tube, a threaded stud coactingwith said threaded tube, said stud being provided with a stem extendedthrough said irst named tube, a cap valve slidably mounted on said steinadjacent to one end of the tube, and a decanting stopper upon the stemadjacent to the opposite end of said tube.

2. A stopper for no`n-refillable bottles comprising a main insertableelastic stopper, f1tting within a bottle neck and including a withdrawalpreventing device, a guard cap upon said main stopper having anencircling slee-ve around the main stopper, said sleeve adapted to fitsnugly within and against the end of a bottle mouth, a decanting stopperwithin lsaid main stopper, and operating means associated with saidguard cap and said decanting stopper for manipulating the decantingstopper.

8. A stopper for non-.rellable bottles com.- prising a main insertableelastic stopper litting within a bottle neck and including a withdrawalpreventing device, a tube fitted in said stopper, a cap upon saidstopper, said cap having discharge openings, the upper portion of saidcap terminating in an interiorly threaded tube, a threaded stud coactingwith said threaded tube, said stud being provided with a stem extendedthrough said -irst named tube, a cap valve slidably mounted on said stemadjacent to one end of said tube, and a decanting stopper upon the stemadjacent to the opposite end of said tube, the lengthof the stem betweenthe decanting stopper and said stud being less than the distance fromseated position oi the decanting stopper to the extremity of thethreaded part of the tube.

` ROBERT H. HARMON.

